PoA Alternative Endings
by Mariann's
Summary: Just what it says - some alternative endings to Prisoner of Azkaban :- All mentioned pairings are Harry/Hermione and Sirius/Remus
1. Why didn't they just stun Pettigrew?

A/N: what you recognise is quoted from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Which parts those are should be known to most of you

**Idea 1: Why didn't they just STUN Pettigrew?** (Well, the answer is easy: because JKR didn't want a solution at that point. Drama for drama's sake is what I call it, but that's neither here nor there.)

Remus Lupin pointed his wand to Pettigrew. Harry looked worried again, but Lupin said:

"I'll only stun him so we can transport him."

"Oh, okay then," said Harry.

"What about Professor Snape?" asked Hermione, once Pettigrew had been stunned. Even if she didn't like the professor, she was still worried that they might have hurt him.

"That's next – watch this: Enervate," Lupin answered.

As the spell hit him, Snape started to stir and slowly sat up, only to find five wands trained on him.

"Before you say anything, Severus – turn your head to this one over here. Who would you think this is?" asked Lupin.

Snape, still a bit groggy, but not too groggy to recognise his one time year-mate at school. He turned abruptly and looked at Lupin.

"I suppose even you would agree that Sirius would have had a hard time killing Peter if he's still very much alive…" Lupin said laconically.

"Where's he coming from?"

"Everything will be cleared up at the castle, Severus, but you need to get them there, I have to stay back here. Can I trust you to stay fair with Sirius? He was not James and Lily's Secret Keeper, we have found out that it was Peter and it was him who sold them out to Voldemort. It was also Pettigrew who killed the Muggles. He was very successful in framing Sirius. Be careful when you take them back to the castle, Pettigrew is an Animagus and his form is that of a rat. In fact he posed successfully as the Weasleys' pet rat Scabbers for all these years. I'm placing a spell on him that will not allow him to transform, at the castle Sirius will know how to reverse that."

"The hell I believe that! Give me my wand back, Black!"

"I think I'll hold it for you until we're back inside the castle and have spoken to Dumbledore. I'm not going to risk the truth coming to light by giving you a shot at cheap revenge, Snape. Hermione, the spell to transport Pettigrew is Mobilcorpus. Snape, you'll help Ron. I'll stay at the rear."

He pointed his wand on Pettigrew again and said:

"Mobilcorpus!"

Pettigrew was pulled upright and looked like a puppet. Hermione silently took over to move Pettigrew.

"Well then, I suppose you're ready to go… I obviously haven't had the full dose of Wolfsbane and will stay here for the transformation. You'd better leave now, you're safe once I've closed the latch of this trap door," said Lupin.

It was a strange group that moved through the tunnel and then out on the grounds of Hogwarts. Sirius trained his wand on Snape and made sure that the Potions master stayed in front of him.

As they walked through the tunnel, Sirius talked with Harry and offered him a home.

"Really? Live with you?" Harry asked, and his eyes lightened up.

"Of course, if you'd rather stay with your aunt and uncle…" Sirius said, insecure.

"Are you mad? Stay with them when I could get away from there? No way. Do you have a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius threw a look at Harry. Did the boy imply mistreatment from his relatives? In this case he would have to get him out of there as soon as his name was cleared. They would go to his old home, which he hated, but with Remus' help he was sure they could remodel the house quickly.

"Yes, I do, actually. It's not very pleasant at the moment, but it would be fun to refurbish it together, wouldn't it? I'm sure that Remus would join us, too."

"I can't wait, Sirius…"

They passed most of the way to the castle when suddenly the clouds shifted and they were bathed in the light of the full moon. Sirius thought of Remus down in the Shrieking Shack and wanted nothing more than helping his old friend, but he told himself that he would be able to help Remus again from on the next month if everything went well.

He was scared, very scared, especially when he felt the Dementors closing in all of a sudden. They had clearly picked him up and were coming closer, but Harry, who felt them just as strongly, immediately cast his Patronus. With the new hope of getting out of the Dursleys' place he actually sent a fully corporeal Patronus right into the Dementors, driving them away before they even got close. Snape snapped for air, when he became aware of that. Harry stared after the stag, that seemed to round up the Dementors and Sirius stood still, rooted to the spot, less because of the Dementors, but because of the Patronus' form.

"Prongs…" he whispered.

He looked at Harry with even more awe. How very much like his father he was, he thought. And immediately corrected himself, because even now he was able to find a lot of Lily inside of his godson, which pleased him immensely.

The group reached the castle and moved through the corridors until they reached the entrance to the headmaster's office.

Snape gave the password. He hadn't said even one word on the whole trip. They came up the moving stairs and knocked on the headmaster's door. Sirius transformed immediately. Dumbledore opened and after only one look over the group, he guided them in his office where the Minister still sat.

"I think this asks for some explanations," Dumbledore remarked.

"Yes, we'll give them to you immediately, but please, Professor, make sure that this man cannot get away. He is an Animagus! His form is that of a rat," Hermione replied.

"Where did you catch him?" Fudge wanted to know.

Dumbledore made sure that Pettigrew was secured. Then he turned to the Snape.

"Severus?"

"It's obviously Pettigrew. I haven't looked at his arm yet."

Dumbledore looked at Pettigrew's left wrist and called Fudge over.

"Can you see the Dark Mark on his arm, Cornelius."

"Yes, but… who is it? Pettigrew? What Pettigrew?"

"This, Cornelius, is Peter Pettigrew, who is obviously alive."

"But he's dead! Black killed him, didn't he?"

"No, he didn't," said Harry. "Pettigrew framed him; he was my parents' Secret Keeper."

Fudge protested, Dumbledore silenced him and looked at his staff member, but Snape said:

"The three students disarmed me and I was out of it until they brought me back. I only saw that Pettigrew was there, and I can tell you, Minister, it is indeed Peter Pettigrew and it does look like Black didn't kill him after all."

"If you don't mind I would like for you to give me your memory of tonight's happenings, which we can then see all together. This way no verbal recounting is necessary and we are sure that your points of view match," said Dumbledore.

"How do we do that, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"You don't need to do anything, only think of what happened today. I will pick the memory from you."

Dumbledore went to a cabinet and came back with a basin made of stone, adorned all around with runes. He explained:

"This is a Pensieve. It will allow us to see your memories."

"Good."

He stirred the greyish mass in the Pensieve and the three men and the three children touched the mass and were drawn inside Hermione's memory from the moment they left Hagrid's hut. They saw how Ron chased after Scabbers.

"Ah, is this the rat you mentioned?"

"Yes, but we didn't know that of course. Only he behaved so strangely. He seemed scared like never before!" Ron explained.

Then the huge black dog turned up and pulled Ron down into the hole in the earth. Harry and Hermione followed him as soon as Crookshanks stilled the tree.

"A remarkable cat – it is yours, Hermione, isn't it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. He seemed to be in league with the dog…" Hermione whispered.

"Part Kneazle?" Dumbledore asked on.

"I think so…"

They watched the fight between the children and Black. They watched how Lupin came in and asked Sirius where "he" was. They watched how Black and Lupin explained their common history and they watched how Lupin checked the corridor. Then they saw how Snape joined the group and how he just bound Lupin and was gleeful because he would be the one to hand Black to the Dementors. And they saw the attack on Snape by the three children. In this context, even Snape had to admit that they had done the right thing.

Finally, they watched how Black and Lupin got the man out of the rat. And they watched in horror how Pettigrew admitted to the crimes for which Black had been condemned.

Dumbledore took them out of the Pensieve.

"Sirius, would you kindly take your human form? We have just seen Miss Granger's memory of what transpired earlier on and it is clear that you are innocent of the crimes you have been charged with."

Padfoot looked over to the Minister, but that one was still rather shocked and didn't react. Sirius transformed and immediately handed Snape his wand.

"Here. There's no reason for me to hold onto it still."

"Where's Remus, Sirius?"

"He stayed in the Shrieking Shack. He mentioned a potion and that he missed a dose?"

"Yes, the Wolfsbane Potion. It helps him to keep his own mind while he is transformed. You could probably go to him and he wouldn't attack you while he's transformed under the influence of the potion. We'll look at Harry's memory now – to corroborate what we saw from Miss Granger," Dumbledore ordered.

The two memories were near identical, only Ron's memory later on showed the slight difference of his trip through the passage and the small fight with Black when the man took his wand and hid behind the door.

"I'm sorry, I broke your leg, Ron! I didn't want to hurt any of you, all I had in mind was Pettigrew!" Sirius apologised.

"It's okay…" Ron mumbled, now definitely in urgent need of medical assistance.

Dumbledore went to the fireplace and called for Madam Pomfrey.

"Poppy, please come up to my office, we have someone who needs your help."

Moments later, she was beside Ron and treated his broken leg.

"Professor Lupin made the splints," Ron said.

"And he did well. He can't mend bones very well, but he does know his first aid… here you are, Weasley, that should set you up very nicely. You should go to your bed immediately now."

Then Pomfrey looked up to see Black among them. Unbound and obviously not challenged by anyone.

"What's HE doing here? Why don't you stun him at all?"

"It's fine, Poppy, we have just found out that it was never Sirius who betrayed the Potters and killed the Muggles, it was this man over there," Dumbledore said and pointed to the still stunned Pettigrew.

"No way! That's… that's really Peter Pettigrew! I thought he was dead!"

"We all did. But he only faked his death when Sirius supposedly killed him. In reality he was able to hide in a very unique form, that of a rat. He is an Animagus."

"Oh dear. Sirius, let me look at you! You look like a corpse!"

Pomfrey turned professional as soon as she had thrown a glance at Sirius, who was rather amused at her behaviour. He knew her well, he'd seen her often enough when he was still a student. Either as a patient or when she treated Remus. So he now let her fuss over him until Fudge woke up and started to put up some resistance to a thought that wasn't his own. He had believed Sirius to be guilty since he had seen him in the street, laughing.

"You were there on that street and you were laughing, Black! Laughing! How could you not be guilty? Obviously you just enjoyed the killing…"

"I did not kill those Muggles! I am no Death Eater, Fudge, never was, never will be! You never even asked me one question; you just threw me into Azkaban, you and Crouch. It was so easy; no one would ask a question, no one would have to believe me. If you had given me some truth potion you'd have had your right answers right then, but you enjoyed telling everyone that you caught Voldemort's second in line, didn't you?"

Fudge flinched at Voldemort's name, so did Ron. Harry got angry:

"It's only a name, for Merlin's sake! Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself!" he called.

"Precisely. I see that you learned your lessons well, Harry," Dumbledore confirmed.

"Be that as it is, we haven't yet heard the answers of this man you stunned, even though I'm really not convinced he's Pettigrew."

Dumbledore turned back to Sirius:

"Would you give us your memory of the event itself, Sirius?"

"Of course…"

"Stop! You don't believe him if he does, do you, Dumbledore?"

"It sounds far more in character than for Sirius to betray his best friend, Cornelius. I have known them both well and while I did testify that Sirius was the Potters' Secret Keeper I only wasn't informed of the switch. But if it would help – Severus, can you get us some Veritaserum? I do think you have a few drops somewhere, don't you?"

"I do. I will bring it."

Snape went by Floo and returned the same way only minutes later. Sirius took the drug willingly and then Dumbledore plucked his memory. Everyone in the room saw it and they all shuddered at the wreckage! From this point of view it was immediately clear that Sirius was after Pettigrew and not the other way round. They could also clearly see the proceedings and how Pettigrew transformed into the rat and vanished. Dumbledore stilled the picture to compare it with the picture from the Daily Prophet. He showed it to the Minister.

"That is the same rat…"

Even the Minister had to admit it. He grumbled, but accepted the fact.

Finally they woke Pettigrew who of course tried to convince everyone that he was the victim of Sirius' lust for his life, but then Snape said:

"I still have some of the Veritaserum here… should I give it to him, Headmaster?"

"I suppose it will make sure, go ahead, Severus."

The subsequent questioning made everything clear. Under the truth serum, Pettigrew admitted to everything: to being a Death Eater, to having been the Potters' Secret Keeper, to betraying them to Voldemort and to killing the Muggles on the street.

"Now this time I suppose we can forego a trial…" Dumbledore remarked.

"I'll have the Dementors perform the Kiss immediately," the Minister agreed.

"NOOOOOO!" Pettigrew screamed.

While Hermione shuddered, Harry and Ron looked distinctly horrified. Sirius on the other hand was highly satisfied. Dumbledore was still opposed to any Dementor in the castle and said:

"You will have to take him to Azkaban for that, Cornelius. I'm afraid that even in this case I will not permit one of those creatures entrance to the castle."

"Fine. I'll then call a few Aurors, won't I? He needs to be stunned."

Dumbledore took care of that part.

"And you will also sign the pardon for Sirius?"

"I will."

"Good. I'm writing it up while we wait for the Aurors. You can sign it at once."

"I demand compensation from the Ministry, Fudge. I've been imprisoned without reason for over eleven years. My salary as an Auror times the amount of years costs you at least 30'000 Galleons. Put that into the pardon as well as my claim to Harry's custody, Dumbledore," Sirius spoke up.

Dumbledore looked up.

"I cannot let you take Harry away from his relatives, Sirius… his safety…"

"…counts nothing if they mistreat and hate him. I offered him a home and while I believed he would not want to leave his aunt and uncle you have seen and heard his reaction."

"I can't believe it is that bad…" Dumbledore replied.

"Harry, why did you want to leave your aunt and uncle immediately?" Sirius asked.

Harry looked slightly embarrassed.

"They're not very nice to me…" he said.

Hermione and Ron snorted.

"Where did you sleep until you came to Hogwarts?" asked Hermione slyly.

Harry blushed. He didn't want to admit his weakness to the adults in the room. But if it would be the thing he needed to say to get to live with his godfather he would do it.

"The cupboard under the stairs…" he whispered.

Dumbledore looked like he wasn't surprised. Harry was sure he knew more than he would admit. Sirius didn't need anything else. He was furious.

"Have you ever even checked up on him, Albus? How could you do that to James and Lily's son? The child we all adored? You had no right to overrule James' will! Even if I couldn't take him, then Remus could have. Or the Longbottoms. They were ALL mentioned as possible guardians. And I know for a fact that James and Lily SPECIFICALLY forbade that Harry should grow up with Lily's sister. Lily knew what would happen in such a case."

"Harry needed to be safe. Lily created a safety no one could maintain but someone whose blood she shared. That was her sister. As long as Harry can call her house his home he is safe."

"But that's just it, Professor Dumbledore – he doesn't call their place his home… since we started here he has called Hogwarts home, he always just speaks of his relatives' place," Hermione dared to throw in.

Dumbledore looked more than slightly put out at that remark.

"There you are. That would have negated the whole safety at the latest since Harry came to Hogwarts."

"The love that bound Lily to Harry bound him to her sister who shares her blood. The fact remains that he is safest at Privet Drive."

"Well… now that my name will be cleared you have no say to that anymore, Albus. Because I'll claim my right with the Ministry, who is truly competent to give me the custody. That and Harry's own wish. Harry? Do you want to stay with your aunt and uncle?"

Harry shook his head.

"No. I always dreamed that someone would take me away. Since I could reach the stove they made me cook. They made me work while my cousin got everything he wanted. I never got anything, except for my glasses. Dudley broke them whenever he was in the mood for it and they blamed me. I was not allowed to be better than him in school and Dudley is really stupid! I never had a friend because he beat everyone up who tried to be my friend…"

Harry, once started, could hardly stop naming all the injustices he had to endure at his relatives' hands. When he told them about his uncle's sister and what she did to him over the years everyone in the room but Dumbledore was convinced that he would never find anything to love in his relatives. Even Fudge then demanded that Dumbledore added the custody part to the pardon. And so the pardon was signed and handed to Sirius. It granted the young man the custody over his godson as well as a compensation for the time served in Azkaban over 50'000 Galleons. For that Sirius confirmed not to have any other claims and would be content with a public apology over the Daily Prophet and the Wizarding Wireless Network.

It was already early in the morning when Harry, Ron and Hermione finally went back to their house. Sirius was captured by Pomfrey who allowed the children to come and see him the next morning. Fudge and the Aurors took Pettigrew to Azkaban, where he was given to the Dementors to receive the Dementors' Kiss immediately. Fudge also ordered the Dementors off the school grounds at the same time.

Snape was not happy. But even in his closed mind he had seen the injustice and accepted the fact that his fallen enemy didn't really fall and was still on the same good side. Sirius on his part had quite immediately accepted that Snape had turned and was willing to believe Dumbledore. He would have a few days before the students left Hogwarts to organise somewhere to stay with Harry.

'…and Remus,' he thought.

In the morning, Remus found his way back to the castle – returned to his human form. He was very nervous. What had happened? Had they believed Sirius or had they have him Kissed on the spot? How were the children? He had been lucky and had a relatively easy transformation. He passed at the hospital wing first to pick up some ointment for his joints from Poppy. He had hardly stepped into the room when he saw Sirius' black hair spread over a pillow. Smiling he went over. He stood by the bed and was relieved. Sirius lying here in this bed unsupervised meant surely that he had been acquitted. That he was set free. He couldn't imagine his friend being placed so openly and without a guard in the hospital wing if he was still a prisoner.

"There you are, Remus…" Poppy said quietly behind him.

"Is he…?" Remus asked.

"Everything's just fine with him, all he will need in the next weeks is nourishment and to move to train himself back to full health," she said soothingly.

"He's free then?" Remus wanted to make sure.

"Yes, he got Fudge's pardon. It's already been brought to the public over the WWN and will be in today's Daily Prophet. And probably all Daily Prophets for the next week or month…" Poppy replied.

Remus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he hugged the nurse.

"Thank you, Poppy. I'm sure you put him together as well as you could."

"I did. He'll need a couple of potions to regain some of his strength. I've put his teeth back in order and healed whatever injuries he had. But he will mostly need you to heal completely, Remus. I think he has lost trust in all of the humans around him but a select few. And I'm sure you belong to them…"

"He thought I was the spy…" Remus said sadly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "He's lost his trust in me first…"

"But he's gaining it back right now. He'll need protection from the media, too. And he got custody over Harry, so he'll need you with that as well, I'm sure."

"Trying to be the matchmaker again, Poppy?" a sleepy voice asked behind them.

Sirius was awake.

"I call things as they are… here's your ointment, Remus, I'll leave you to it…" she said haughtily and left them.

Sirius and Remus both grinned, because the mediwitch was incapable of really pulling it off in front of them. They had been friends for too long. Remus sat on the edge of the bed and said:

"Move over there, Padfoot…"

Sirius budged a bit closer to the edge of the bed. Remus started to undress and tried to pick up the bottle with the ointment when he felt it being taken by someone else. Sirius held it up and ordered:

"Make yourself comfortable, Remus, I'm taking over again… that was your last transformation alone. Hopefully for a long time."

Remus couldn't but smile to that. He received the overall treatment with the ointment. Sirius checked him over and used the ointment freely on all of his friend's joints. Remus fell asleep on the way. Sirius covered him up, returned the ointment bottle to the nightstand and got back into bed next to Remus. In his sleep, Remus turned to him. Sirius sighed a happy sigh and pulled his loved one closer still. For the first time in so many years, Sirius dared falling asleep without fear.

That was how Harry, Hermione and Ron found the two when they came in the morning to see Sirius. They saw the two immediately and Hermione looked at them with a smile.

"Just look at that! They're such good friends," whispered Harry.

"I think, they might be even more than that," claimed Hermione.

"What? You mean they're poofs?" Ron hissed.

"If they're anything, they're probably gay, Ron. Poof is a very impolite word."

"Well, they're not very normal if they're… you know…"

"Come off it. Why do you care who they love? I think it's a good thing. Professor Lupin seems to be so lonely and I'm sure Sirius will not just jump back into the midst of a great social life, so they're good for each other. So what if they're together?"

"Well, I don't mind. My uncle is always going on about them as if they're criminals. If he thinks that way then it must be okay," was all Harry had to say.

"Whatever!" said Ron. "Could we go and have breakfast?"

"Yes, just go already, I'll tell Madam Pomfrey that we have passed, just in case Sirius asks…" Harry said.

Ron turned around and left the hospital wing. Hermione and Harry looked for Madam Pomfrey, but she wasn't in her office.

"Must be having breakfast, too," Hermione thought.

Just then Sirius woke up. Harry saw it and rushed over to say hello.

"Hey Sirius!"

"Morning Harry, Hermione! Where's your friend Ron?"

"Just left to go and have breakfast. We wanted to tell Madam Pomfrey that we've passed, so she could tell you, but now you're awake, even better," said Harry.

Sirius let go of Remus, who burrowed even closer to him in his sleep. Automatically, Sirius caressed him over his shoulders and back, until he felt his friend relax.

"May I ask you something, Sirius?" Hermione asked.

"'Course…"

"You and Professor Lupin… are you two a couple?"

Sirius laughed. Then he looked down on Remus and said:

"First of all I can tell you that there is no need to speak so low, Remus sleeps so deeply, he won't wake from us talking. And then – yes, we've been a couple. Whether we are one now I don't know yet, Hermione. Though the way he's cuddling up to me tells me he still wants to."

"Well, I think you want to in any case, don't you? You'll be brilliant together! And good for Harry, too."

"Thanks Hermione," Sirius said, grinning.

"You're welcome. Do you want me to get you some breakfast?"

"I don't think you need to take care of that, Hermione, methinks there's Poppy coming already…"

Indeed, they heard the mediwitch coming in, levitating two well-filled steaming plates for Sirius and Remus.

"Good morning, Madam Pomfrey," Harry and Hermione greeted her.

"Good morning, children. Take care not to wake Professor Lupin. He needs his rest."

"We're taking care, Madam. Sirius just said he's sleeping very deeply," Hermione replied.

"He probably does, dear. He just seems to have had a somewhat rougher night than usual."

"They know, Poppy," Sirius hinted.

"Oh, they do? Well, then you'll know why he needs his rest."

Madam Pomfrey now set up a privacy curtain around the bed. She didn't want eventual visitors to the hospital wing to see the two men in bed.

"You two should go to breakfast as well, you can come back and pick Sirius up later on, he really doesn't need bed rest!"

"You let me out after only one night? Must be a first, Poppy," Sirius said with a grin.

"Okay, we'll be back later, Sirius!" Harry promised.

"Great! See you later then!"

The last thing Harry saw was Sirius' appetite, with which he dove into his plate. He grinned and followed Hermione to the Great Hall.

They arrived there just in time to hear Dumbledore hold his speech:

"Good morning, students – and teachers. I have a short, but important message to pass on to everyone. Last night, a few students helped saving two innocent lives. They were able to free Hagrid's hippogriff AND they helped to prove that a great injustice had been committed by the Ministry to Sirius Black. It has turned out that Sirius Black is NO murderer. He has NOT betrayed his friends James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort. Minister Fudge has therefore seen fit to sign his immediate pardon and has consequently removed the Dementors from the Hogwarts gates. Sirius Black is currently resting in the hospital wing, but he will be released this morning and join us for the next few days here at Hogwarts, especially to get reacquainted with his godson Harry Potter, whose guardian he has become last night."

The students hardly reacted more to this message than starting to discuss the probability of its contents. There were a few boos from the Slytherins. Malfoy called out:

"If it wasn't Black, who was it then?"

"For the details, Mr. Malfoy, I'll guide your attention to the incoming Daily Prophet. It would lead too far to explain everything. I only ask all of you to treat Mr. Black with the utmost politeness as befits the Hogwarts student body. He has been suffering for much too long!"


	2. Hermione studied ahead

Idea 2: Hermione studied AHEAD

The strange group emerged from under the Whomping Willow.

Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron clambered upwards without any sound of savaging branches.

Sirius saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now, the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harry's mind was buzzing. He was going to leave the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parents' best friend … he felt dazed … What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television!

"One wrong move, Peter!" said Lupin threateningly, ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Sirius, his chin bumping on his chest. And then –

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in the moonlight.

Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. He flung out an arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.

Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh my –" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his Potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run! Now!"

But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He leapt forwards but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me – RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks' fur was on end again, he was backing away –

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bear-like dog bounded forwards. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backwards, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other –

Harry stood, transfixed by the sight; too intent on the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted him –

She swivelled around when she saw how Pettigrew grabbed Lupin's wand, but Hermione was quick thinking after the scream left her lips.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried from behind, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew. Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" he shouted, running forwards.

Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.

Hermione meanwhile was thinking fast as she saw the rat escaping. She pointed her own wand into the direction the rat vanished and said:

"Accio Pettigrew the rat!"

Harry stared at her. What was that? But already he saw the rat fly into Hermione's hand! She grinned widely as she cast her Petrificus Totalus on the rat. Harry broke out into a grin as well, he turned around and screamed after Sirius:

"Sirius! Hermione got the rat and froze him! We'll go ahead to see Dumbledore!"

The bear-like dog turned around and a happy sounding bark came from his snout, then he turned back to the forest and followed Lupin, leaving the two kids behind. Harry looked at the frozen rat. Hermione shoved him into her pocket slightly unceremoniously and said:

"Well, we had better bring everyone into the hospital wing, hadn't we?"

"Yep. Will you take Ron? I'll take Snape and hold Crookshanks for you."

"I will. Thanks for taking Crookshanks, Harry!"

Almost silently they picked up their unconscious charges and proceeded to the castle. They were accosted shortly after their entry by their head of house, who happened to cross the entry hall on the way to her quarters. She stared at them with her mouth falling open.

"What on earth has happened?" she asked them.

"Hello, Professor. Could you call Professor Dumbledore, please? Then we only need tell you all once. We are taking Professor Snape and Ron to the hospital wing."

"The Minister is still with Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Potter, it might take a while."

"That's fine, we'll just wait there."

Contrary to McGonagall's warning they didn't have to wait long. Madam Pomfrey came running and took care of Ron and Snape.

"Ron's worse off. We had to disarm Professor Snape and we went about it all three at the same time, not knowing that the others would do the same! So he was sent flying into a wall and lost conscious. Ron has a broken leg, which Professor Lupin splintered. Then he fell victim to a spell that I didn't recognise. But it froze him as well as my cat…" Hermione explained.

"You children disarmed Professor Snape?"

"We had to. But we will tell Professor Dumbledore everything, so you'll hear the whole story."

Indeed, the professors arrived barely five minutes later, Fudge in their wake. As soon as the teachers entered, Harry and Hermione turned to them and let Madam Pomfrey work her magic. Dumbledore stared at the two children.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Professor, it's a longer story…" Hermione started.

Dumbledore reacted by conjuring chairs for everyone. They all sat and Fudge wanted to know what it was all about. Harry started:

"We wanted to go and console Hagrid. Buckbeak didn't deserve to be killed; he wasn't at fault, Professor. We were there when he actually attacked Malfoy; Malfoy had deliberately not listened to Hagrid's explanations when he told us that we would have to be polite to the hippogriff, because it would not react nicely if it felt insulted. And Malfoy insulted him really badly by calling him an ugly brute. And because Malfoy can't accept that others are giving him what he deserves he played the poor little mama's boy to his daddy and wanted Hagrid sacked! – That's why we went down to Hagrid, against the rules, we know, but a friend is worth much more than any rule!"

"While I do understand your reasoning I have to stress that the rules we set up were for your protection, Harry!"

"Of course. But that's why we used the Cloak. Anyway, when we reached Hagrid he was so down and he was crying so hard, Ron thought it would be a good idea to make tea for him, and Hermione went to do it, because Hagrid accidentally smashed his milk jug. And when she did we found Ron's pet rat Scabbers. We had thought Scabbers had died a while ago, actually Ron thought that Hermione's cat Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers. But the rat was completely strange, Ron already noticed during the summer vacation that the rat was off colour, so he gave him some rat tonic. Hagrid sent us back up to the school and while we didn't want to go, we started to leave. Scabbers behaved really bad and wanted to get away. He actually did get away, but Ron was behind him and caught him again. And just as he caught him there was this huge dog that bowled Ron over and pulled him away. Hermione and I watched how this dog pulled Ron under the Whomping Willow and that they all vanished there."

"Harry and I first thought we should get help from the castle, but then we thought that help would be too late for Ron, so we tried to get down to that hole in the ground as well. Only the willow wouldn't allow it and finally Crookshanks was able to freeze the tree. He ran ahead and Harry and I followed. We went through this very long tunnel and reached a trap door through which we climbed. You will know where we landed, Professor, but we didn't notice at first. But then I saw the boarded windows and recognised the Shrieking Shack! We heard noise from above and followed it, until we found Ron with a broken leg on the floor next to a bed and Crookshanks was there, too. It was a trap, set up by Sirius Black! He disarmed us and there was a short skirmish, in which we brought him down. Just as Harry had him at wandpoint we heard someone coming in. It was Professor Lupin! To our astonishment he disarmed us again and turned to Sirius, asking him: "Where is he, Sirius?" and we were all three completely consternated."

"Who is *he*?" Fudge asked.

Hermione pulled out the frozen rat.

"*He* is he. This is not a rat, it is actually an Animagus. He posed as the Weasley's pet rat for twelve years, Professor, but he is actually Peter Pettigrew…"

Dumbledore and McGonagall gasped, but Fudge immediately protested:

"Preposterous. Pettigrew is dead! Black killed him!"

"No, he didn't," said Harry. "If you know how to force the human back out of an Animagus, Professor, we would be glad if you did that now. We found out the true story, and Sirius told us why he broke out of Azkaban and how. When you gave him the newspaper in summer he saw the photo of the Weasleys on the front page and recognised his old school friend Peter Pettigrew in the disguise of a rat. That gave him the drive to slip out of his cell in his own Animagus form. No dark magic at all, Sirius was simply so thin that he was able to slip through the bars in the prison and out. He swam to the shore. When he said, he's at Hogwarts he didn't mean me, he meant this rat here."

"I don't see anything other than a rat," Fudge said petulantly.

"This rat has been with the Weasleys for almost twelve years, Minister, what normal rat would live that long?" Hermione asked.

"The Peter Pettigrew I knew and taught would never have been able to achieve an Animagus transformation," McGonagall threw in.

"Well, just get him back! Black and Professor Lupin were able to force him back, and then they got the truth out of him. He was afraid that Voldemort would kill him and that's why he became a spy. He had given away information to Voldemort for a year before he sold out my parents!"

While McGonagall managed to stay quiet, Fudge of course gasped at the naming of the evil lord. Hermione saw it and hissed:

"Afraid of the name? That only increases the fear of the thing itself!"

Harry continued:

"And finally we decided to bring Pettigrew back to the castle and clear Sirius' name. On the way unfortunately the moon came out and Professor Lupin transformed, so Sirius took him away from us, so we weren't in danger. Pettigrew transformed back into the rat after he froze Ron and Crookshanks, but Hermione managed to summon the rat somehow and used Petrificus Totalus on it and we brought it back."

"Well, that's only a part of the story, I suppose?" Dumbledore asked and nodded to Snape.

"Yes. While Remus explained how it came that he became friends with my dad, Sirius and Pettigrew, we were accosted by Professor Snape who didn't want to listen to anything Sirius and Professor Lupin had to say. He bound Professor Lupin and threatened to take Sirius straight to the Dementors. And that seemed to be so unfair! I mean, Sirius had brought some arguments in that should have been heard before he was killed! In any case Ron and Hermione seemed to think the same as I and we all disarmed Professor Snape at the same time."

McGonagall gasped, knowing that this spell must have had a higher impact when three were casting it at the same time.

"Probably because we did it all three at the same time the wand came flying and Professor Snape was thrown into the wall, rendering him unconscious. We're sorry about hurting him, but not sorry that we managed to stop him from hurting Sirius. Just because he was the victim of a stupid prank when he was at school doesn't give him the right to have Sirius killed just like that when Sirius is really innocent! Anyway, he missed out on the whole explanation and he also missed seeing Pettigrew, so I expect he will tell you that it's all a lie."

"Hm. I think we should have a look at that rat then. May I have it?"

"Yes, but if you enervate it again, it will certainly try to flee immediately, sir," Hermione warned.

"I imagine if this is really Peter Pettigrew he will have every reason to try and flee. I shall be most cautious, Miss Granger."

"Dumbledore, are you sure these kids aren't confounded?" Fudge threw in.

"Only one way to find out, Cornelius, and we'll humour them."

First Dumbledore unfroze the rat, but stunned it instead. Then McGonagall and Dumbledore cast the same spell with blue and white sparks as Sirius and Remus had. The same thing happened again, when the little man grew out of the rat. Fudge was completely speechless. He didn't want to believe what he saw, but there wasn't much he could do to disprove that there was a man in front of him who looked extremely like Peter Pettigrew.

A gasp came from behind. Snape had woken up and just as he wanted to start ranting about the kids he saw Pettigrew. That shut him up immediately.

"Severus, I believe this is a case for a dose of Veritaserum," Dumbledore said.

He believed the children the moment he noticed they told the truth about the Animagus. Of course Fudge stalled and still didn't want to believe, but he would not be able to deny a questioning under Veritaserum. Snape was still a bit shaking, but he managed to go to his stores and bring the potion. Only then Dumbledore enervated the rat.

While they waited Madam Pomfrey actually tried to get the children to get into a bed and treat them for something they both vehemently denied. They were wide awake, after all Harry knew it was in the next few minutes that Sirius' destiny would be decided.

They followed the questioning interestedly and weren't disappointed. There was nothing Pettigrew could do under the truth serum but admit to his crimes and that he had framed Sirius for everything. The children had to hold themselves in check not to break out into cheers. Ron woke up and saw what they were doing. Even he was pleased to see how Pettigrew told them his innermost secrets.

Fudge was trying to insist one last time that Black had never denied his crimes since he was in Azkaban. But this went too far for Harry. The boy jumped up and tore into the blundering Minister:

"You are an imbecile! Sirius still feels guilty that he had suggested the switch of Secret Keepers! He still thinks that he killed my parents, even though it was this vermin down here who sold them to Voldemort and it was Voldemort who killed them. And for all I've heard Voldemort didn't need any excuses to kill anyone he wanted to eliminate! And for what it's worth it seems that Sirius never even received a trial because certain people thought the case was cut and clear! For Merlin's sake you could at least have the grace to admit the error of justice instead of lying and trying to blame an innocent man for your own mistakes! What a coward and an idiot you are!"

He stunned every adult in the room with his rant. Fudge had instinctively bent back and tried to get out of Harry's reach. And Harry had forgotten again that he was a small boy for his age and rounded on the Minister until Fudge retreated.

Dumbledore held Harry back and smilingly reminded him to whom he talked. But Harry was on a roll and told his headmaster off:

"I don't care what he is, Professor! If there is injustice I call it injustice, no matter who the perpetrator is. He has been responsible for Sirius' arrest and he never gave Sirius so much as a chance to defend himself. What kind of justice is that? Don't tell me that it was war and bla and bla, they had no right to just incarcerate someone without proof."

"There was plenty proof enough! The Muggle witnesses…"

"Who you conveniently obliviated after the questioning and who certainly understood every word the two wizards said before they were obliviated!" Hermione interrupted. "And then you had the nerve to give Pettigrew an Order of Merlin, ha!" she snapped.

Fudge didn't have any experience with kids that didn't show him any respect at all and called him out for his responsibility.

"How should we have known that he wasn't dead? All we found of him was a finger!"

That wasn't a clever thing to say.

"How about investigating and asking the man you imprisoned? In every proper court in the world a defendant has the right to speak up and as wizards we have possibilities to ensure the defendant or any witness is speaking the truth, for Merlin's sake."

Even Snape was amused about the little girl who didn't show any fear of the great Minister.

There wasn't much else to do but clear Sirius' name.


	3. Minister of Magic crawling down a tree?

Idea 3 – The Minister of Magic crawling down a tree?

Dumbledore froze. He'd seen some movement near the Whomping Willow, which was unusually agitated.

"I think there's something I have to look at, Cornelius. Could you go ahead? I'll be right with you!"

"You're not going anywhere with that Black still on the loose, Albus, I'm coming with you! McNair, accompany old Casimir back to the castle and then you are dismissed for the night," Fudge ordered.

"Yes, Minister."

They parted ways and even if Dumbledore didn't like the company he had to accept it. They went over to the willow and Dumbledore found a stick to still it. Fudge stared, but followed Dumbledore under the now still branches. As soon as they were close to the trunk the branches went back to flailing.

Albus immediately spotted the silvery fabric of Harry's Invisibility Cloak. He picked it up, folded it and put it in his pocket.

"What's that?" Fudge wanted to know.

"Belongs to one of my students. I'll have to put it safe, because it's a rare object. For some reason they obviously went down the passage to the Shrieking Shack. I suspect something is up, we have to follow them."

Just then they heard the heavy breathing of someone who came running from the castle. Dumbledore pressed the knot and stilled the tree, only to find Remus closing in on them.

"Remus! What has you in such a hurry?"

"Albus! – Minister… I suspect that there has been an enormous error of justice concerning Sirius. We need to go down the tunnel and to the Shack, please, hurry! Hermione, Harry and Ron are in there."

"Then we must hurry!"

"Should I call the Dementors?" Fudge asked, scared.

"Under no circumstances! I first want to know the truth. We're enough people to subdue Sirius if we really need to, but if what I just saw is right then we most probably will need our strength for someone entirely different. Let's go!"

Remus almost pushed the Minister down the slide, followed him and made some light with his wand. The three men hastened through the tunnel, in pursuit of the children.

"Seen, Remus?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus almost smiled. While they started to walk he explained:

"When we were still at school we made a map of Hogwarts – a map that not only showed the castle, but was enchanted to show everyone in the castle and on a large area of the grounds. Little dots represent people, ghosts, animals, you name it; and that map never lies. I have come across it recently and was looking at it tonight. What I saw on it made me doubt it still functions correctly, but the fact remains that it never lies. It showed me Peter Pettigrew. I have to confess that my three friends did something for me back then and became Animagi, Albus. Because of the war they didn't register as Animagi, and Pettigrew's form is that of a rat. It is quite easily possible that he was the traitor – I want to ask Sirius whether he knows where the rat is and if it really is Peter, I want to reveal him!"

"That story sounds more than farfetched!" Fudge growled.

"Mr. Fudge, you didn't know Sirius as I did. It was so far out of Sirius' character to kill you wouldn't believe it. I know he was never questioned, we have to grant him that at least."

"So you think he's up there?"

"I know he is. Let's hurry, some accident could still befall the children, even if he'd never hurt Harry willingly. They don't know him at all."

They rushed on and reached the trap door, Remus lifted it and climbed up, helping the two elder men up. Then he hurried on and heard Hermione's voice:

"Help! We're up here! Sirius Black!"

Remus was just ahead of the two other men when he ran into the room, taking in the sight of Harry training his wand on Sirius, who lay there, obviously completely out of his breath.

"Expelliarmus!" Remus called, deftly catching the wands of the three children.

The three were consternated to say the least, even more so when Dumbledore and Fudge followed on Remus' feet. Remus turned to the convict and said breathlessly:

"Where is he, Sirius?"

Black looked shocked for a moment, but then he lifted his hand and pointed to Ron.

"But… but, why hasn't he shown himself? If he lived past the blast on that street? Unless you… you switched?"

Black nodded, looking up to Remus with so much fear and at the same time passion in his eyes that Remus froze momentarily, but then stepped close, pulled Sirius up and enclosed him in a hug, holding him close and crying:

"I'm so sorry, Sirius, I'm so sorry! I thought you were guilty, I can't tell you how sorry I am!"

All else just stood around them and stared at them. Dumbledore kept Fudge from doing anything. He took in the scene of the children: Ron, on the bed, with a squeaking rat in his hand and Harry and Hermione, both breathing hard, with open mouths, staring at their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as if he'd gone mad.

"I don't believe it!" Hermione screamed.

Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You – you – "

"Hermione –"

"– you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down – "

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you – "

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Remus shouted. "I can explain – "

Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.

"I trusted you!" he shouted at Remus, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Remus. "I haven't been Sirius' friend for twelve years, but I am now … let me explain…"

"No!" Hermione screamed, "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black getting into the castle, he wants you dead, too – he's a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, even those who knew about his affliction, but Lupin looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius getting into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…" an odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again, but fell back with a whimper of pain. Remus made a move towards him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped: "Get away from me, werewolf!"

Lupin stopped dead, but Dumbledore interfered, unusually strict:

"Mr. Weasley that was uncalled for and extremely rude. Nothing in Remus is different than five minutes ago. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Remus turned back to Hermione and asked:

"How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"

"He'll be delighted," said Remus coolly. "He set that essay in the hope that someone would realise what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realise that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realise that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Remus forced a laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are."

"But we already knew, Hermione," said Dumbledore with a soft voice. "All the staff do."

"What? You hired him when you knew he was a werewolf?" Ron gasped. "Are you mad?"

"One of the staff definitely thought so and fought the appointment with fervour, but I do not think I heard any complaint about your teacher all year round from the students or the other professors, on the contrary."

"And in the end you were wrong to trust him!" Harry yelled. "He's been helping Black all this time?"

"I have not been helping Sirius," Remus, repeated once again. "If you give me a chance, I'll explain. Look – "

He separated Harry, Ron and Hermione's wands and handed them back to their owners, while he pocketed his own.

"There – you're all armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

Harry didn't know what to think and looked questioningly at Dumbledore. How could the old headmaster still trust Lupin?

"If you haven't been helping him," he said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Lupin, "the Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it – "

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony – that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"You wrote – ?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I've had an idea that you, Ron and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.

"You might have been wearing your father's old Cloak, Harry –"

"How d'you know about the Cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Remus, waving an impatient hand again.

"The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak you show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back towards the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Remus, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labelled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow – "

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Remus. "Two of you."

He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.

"Would anyone here care to explain what actually goes on here?" Fudge finally yelled, getting impatient.

"Yes, but first, if you don't mind, I'd like to secure Peter. – Ron, could we have a closer look at your rat, please?" Remus said, letting go of Sirius.

"What! What's Scabbers got to do with anything here?"

"A lot, I'm afraid, everything, actually. – Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately. Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's lap and made a soft hissing noise.

Remus moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What do you mean – of course he's a rat – "

"No, he's not," said Remus. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black with his hollow voice, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

"You're both mental! That's Scabbers. He's been a bit off for a while, since Hermione brought that cat with her, that's why he's squeaking!"

"I'm afraid he's rather afraid because Sirius and I are here, believe me. I would like to hear what he has to say."

"Ridiculous," said Hermione.

"Preposterous," threw in Fudge.

"Peter Pettigrew is dead!" said Harry and added: "He killed him twelve years ago!"

He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me!"

"You mean to tell me that Black broke out of Azkaban to attack my **rat**?" Ron yelled.

"Yes, that's what I did," Sirius said.

"How crazy does that sound? How would he know about it in the first place?" Ron argued.

"That's a valid question, Sirius. How did you know about it?"

Black went into his dirty robes and brought out a crumpled piece of paper, which he unfolded and showed to everyone.

"Last summer – when the Minister came around Azkaban I asked for his newspaper and he gave it to me. It so happened that I saw this photo. There's the rat, I recognised him immediately."

Everyone looked at the photo and even Ron had to admit that the rat was clearly visible. But then he protested.

"Okay, I can believe that this Pettigrew fellow is an Animagus, but how do you know it's **my** rat?" Ron pulled Scabbers closer and held the rat tight.

Sirius was just getting ready to speak when they heard a slight noise on the corridor. Dumbledore was there in two steps and pulled the door fully open. It was Snape!

"Come on inside, Severus," Dumbledore said with a sigh.

"What…?"

"We are just finding out, Severus. We do have things under control, please hold back."

"Headmaster, that's obviously Black! What do these students do here?" Snape stopped short, finding Dumbledore and the Minister here meant he would have to tread carefully in accosting Lupin and Black. He was disappointed that he wasn't the first to catch up with Black. He would not get revenge!

"Patience, Severus. We'll find out. Would you please continue with your explanation, Sirius?"

Sirius threw a very dark glance at Snape, but turned back to Ron:

"I can tell you why I know. When I caught up with him on that street he started to yell around that I had betrayed Lily and James and then cut off his finger and blew the street apart with the wand hidden behind his back! So – check your rat – missing exactly that toe!"

"Still – he was probably in a scuffle with other rats. He's dead old," Ron insisted.

"Dead old… in your family for about 12 years, wasn't he?" Remus asked.

"We were looking after him well!"

"You probably were. Ron, hand him over, we will cast the spell that would force him out. If he's not an Animagus after all then it won't hurt him."

Reluctantly, Ron handed the rat over and Remus gripped his wand tighter. He asked Harry:

"Would you lend Sirius your wand, Harry?"

"I'm not sure I should…" Harry hesitated.

"Trust him. I recognise the rat, even though he looks thinner and out of his mind, but I've seen him transform so often I'm as convinced as Sirius is that it is Pettigrew."

Harry gave Sirius the wand, handle first and Sirius looked at Remus:

"Together?" he asked.

"Together – on three. One – two – three!"

There was a flash with blue and white streaks of light and the rat fell to the floor, twisting and twitching and by the time it reached the ground it started to change. Like a plant growing in time-lapse in a film a small man rose up from the floor and started to wail immediately.

"Well, hello, Peter," said Remus pleasantly, not caring for the stunned looks from everyone else in the room and as though rats frequently erupted into old school-friends around him. "Long time, no see…"

"S-Sirius… R-Remus…" even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. His eyes darted towards the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

Black's wand arm rose, as he still held Harry's wand, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, of which you might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around there on the bed –"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Harry could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you … he tried to kill me, Remus…"

"So we've heard," said Remus, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so – "

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew shrieked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me, too… you've got to help me, Remus…"

Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.

"No one's going to try to kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him even more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Remus, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got Dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He Who Must Not Be Named taught him a few tricks!"

Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched, as did Ron and Fudge, as though Black had brandished a whip at him.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know – what you mean, Sirius," muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… they all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways, the Malfoys, the Averys, the McNairs and many more… if they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter – "

"Don't know – what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin, and at Dumbledore.

"You don't believe this – this madness, Remus, Professor!"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Remus evenly.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If the Dark Lord's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban – the spy, Sirius Black!"

Dumbledore was thinking that only Voldemort's supporters ever called him the Dark Lord. Black's face contorted.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter – I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…"

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a – "

"Lily and James only made you Secret Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backwards. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… it must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Harry caught words like 'far-fetched' and 'lunacy', but he couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen colour of Pettigrew's face, and the way his eyes continued to dart towards the windows and door.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can – can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.

"Well – Scabbers – I mean, this – this man – he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You Know Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Hermione with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair on Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for twelve years, they say he's half-dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to re-join him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Er – Mr. Black – Sirius?" said Hermione timidly.

Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though being spoken to politely was something he'd long forgotten.

"If you don't mind me asking, how – how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I –"

Secretly Fudge was wondering what Black would reply to this question, too. He had so far kept his mouth shut, also because Dumbledore was keeping them all silent observers of the proceedings. Dumbledore thought that Remus handled the affair perfectly well and would most probably sort the truth from the lies if he was left doing so.

Lupin had silenced Pettigrew with a look. Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he was annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" he swallowed. "They feel their way towards people by sensing their emotions… they could tell that my feelings were less – less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…

"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realised he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"

Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotised.

"… ready to strike the moment he could be sure of allies… to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours…

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew that Peter was still alive…"

Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had told Mrs Weasley. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep … always the same words … 'he's at Hogwarts'".

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… it wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened the door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… it's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog… I've been living in the Forest ever since… except when I come to watch the Quidditch, of course… you fly as well as your father did, Harry…"

He looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them. I couldn't have done it, I loved them too much, Harry, just like I always loved you! They were my second chance at having a family, how could I have betrayed them?"

And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius – it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…"

Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeve. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.

"You wouldn't … you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.

"Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.

"I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.

"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled towards Ron, "you won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly.

Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forwards and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl… clever girl… you – you won't let them… help me…"

Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly towards Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"

"**How dare you speak to Harry**?" roared Black. "**How dare you face him? How dare you talk about James in front of him**?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling towards him, hands outstretched, "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"

Both Black and Lupin strode forwards, seized Pettigrew's shoulders and threw him backwards onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking, too. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch: he looked like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He Who Must Not Be Named forced me – "

"**Don't lie**!" bellowed Black. "**You'd been passing information to him for a year before Lily and James died! You were his spy!**"

"He – he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh- what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter! - Only innocent lives..."

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"**Then you should have died!**" roared Black. "Died rather than betray your friends, as we would have done for you!"

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realised," said Lupin quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall. Dumbledore got ready to intervene, finally, but then there was an outcry:

"No!" Harry yelled.

He ran forwards, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands, Lupin's and his own. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly, "you can't!"

Dumbledore smiled. Black and Lupin both looked staggered.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted, and looked over to Dumbledore and Fudge. "Can't we take him up to the castle and hand him over to the Dementors, Professor, Minister? He can go to Azkaban, can't he? Just don't kill him yet."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You – thank you – it's more than I deserve – thank you – "

"Get off me!" Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I don't reckon my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers – just for you."

"Well, you're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," said Black. "But think… think what he did… we're stepping back if you say the word."

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"

"I think we're called up now, Cornelius. What do you say? There is no other way than accepting that it was not Sirius after all and that we have done him a great injustice."

"I suppose so. How shall we proceed?"

"It's a full moon and Remus will transform any moment now, so I suggest we all leave. If I am right you haven't had your last dose of the Wolfsbane Potion tonight, Remus?"

"No. You had better all leave! I won't be fully unconscious, but I don't know how much allowance I have with the doses, so I'll still be dangerous."

"Good."

Dumbledore stunned Pettigrew and turned to Ron.

"I am nowhere near as good as Madam Pomfrey in healing bones, but I can help you by adding a splint. – Ferula."

Ron got up and put his weight on his leg. He didn't wince and thanked Dumbledore.

"Then let's go. Have an easy one, Remus, and we'll see you again in the morning."

"See you on the flip side! Hurry up!"

Dumbledore levitated the unconscious Pettigrew and they all left the room and then the house. As they walked through the tunnel, Crookshanks merrily ahead, then Fudge and Dumbledore with Pettigrew, then a sulking Snape, followed by Ron, Sirius, Harry and Hermione.

As they walked, Sirius turned to Harry:

"I don't know if they told you, but I'm your godfather, Harry…"

"Yeah, I know…"

"Well, your parents, they wanted me to look after you, if something happened to them, I thought, if you wanted to leave your aunt and uncle… once my good name's restored… if you wanted a new home, I'd offer you to live with me…"

"Really? Leave the Dursleys? You mean it?"

"Yes. Of course, I understand that you'd rather stay with them…"

"Are you mad? Leave the Dursleys? I've been dreaming about that just about forever! Do you have a house? When can I move in?"

The smile that appeared on Black's face now took ten years off the weary face. He looked a bit more like the smiling young man who had been at Harry's parents' side at their wedding. Sirius felt lighter than he had ever done before. At first he'd been shocked and scared to death to see that his trap hadn't only called in Harry and his friends, but also Dumbledore and Fudge. But then Remus had been the bonus, especially when he had taken charge of the situation.

As he was talking with Harry on the way out of the tunnel he thanked the gods for the appearance of the two top men in their society. Witnesses like these were a guarantee that he would be set free now.

Hermione listened to them as she walked just a short bit behind them. She was happy for Harry; he would finally have a home that actually was a home if he was allowed to live with his godfather. Harry sounded so happy! She smiled.

Once they had left the Whomping Willow they crossed the grassy plain between Hagrid's hut and the castle. Hogwarts was ahead of them, slightly higher up, and they started to walk up the soft slope to its entrance. As they were out on the green Harry froze and Sirius next to him. He could feel the air freezing and he recognised this as the approach of the Dementors. Harry didn't think, he pulled his wand out, which Sirius had given back to him just minutes before and shouted:

"Expecto Patronum!"

And a huge, brilliantly white stag broke out of the tip of his wand, lighting up the whole area and galloping in the direction of the Dementors, kicking them and biting them away. Within minutes they turned and left back to the gates. The Patronus returned and Harry stood there, admiring it. But others were admiring it even more. Dumbledore smiled, Hermione looked baffled and Sirius – Sirius stood there with his mouth hanging open, staring at the majestic stag.

"Prongs…" he whispered. "He looks just like Prongs."

"Dad? Dad was a stag?" Harry asked.

"Yes, he was. We called him Prongs – for his antlers – we all feared them, believe me. He was magnificent, was James."

"You're not half bad either, Sirius," Harry replied, with a smile.

"What a Patronus – how did you do that, Harry?" Fudge wanted to know.

"Professor Lupin taught me – when the Dementors ruined our first Quidditch game in November… I asked him for help and he taught me this. But I took a long time to learn it."

"You conjured a fully corporeal Patronus at your second match, Harry," Hermione threw in.

"That's right. Though I hadn't seen that one myself. This one – it was easy to conjure, because Sirius offered me a new home. Anything is better than the Dursleys, hence this Patronus went easily…" Harry said.

Sirius pulled him into a hug. Apart from Mrs Weasley and Hermione no one had ever hugged Harry and he loved it, even though it scared him a bit.

"I'll have a look at my situation, Harry, I'll talk to the goblins at Gringotts, my family had many houses and all of them are warded extremely well, or we could even move into your family's ancestral home, which is just as safe…" he whispered.

Harry couldn't hide his smile. He felt so elated.

"Thanks, Sirius. Do you think Hermione and Ron could visit me there?"

"Of course. Any time!"

The rest of the distance to the castle was now covered without any further incidence. Dumbledore called for McGonagall and asked her if she could give Sirius a guest room. She was shocked at first, of course, but a short assurance of her superior that Sirius was innocent later she actually smiled a bit and said:

"Well then, Black, come with me. But I warn you – any prank at all and I'll throw you out to the wolves in the middle of the night."

Sirius grinned. That's how he liked Minerva the best. Always with a good threat on her lips. She didn't mean half of them, but they were usually quite effective.

"You don't really mean that, Minnie, I've had that for roughly a year now…" he mumbled.

"Try me! Come with me, I give you a guest room. Potter, you can see him at breakfast in the morning. You two had better return to your dormitory again and Weasley, I'm taking you to Madam Pomfrey."

"Yes, Professor. Good night, everyone. Thank you for giving Sirius a chance, Minister," Harry said politely and followed Hermione up the stairs.

"A tea or something stronger while you sign a pardon for Sirius and wait for the Aurors to take Pettigrew to the Ministry, Cornelius?"

"Yes, why not… I suppose there's nothing else we can say, is there? That'll be a field day for the press tomorrow. First the hippogriff who shouldn't have been executed… and then it turns out Black is not even guilty."

"We have the real perpetrator instead, that's worth much more, Cornelius! The press will jump on the capture rather than the error of justice. I told you that Lucius should not have been allowed to influence the Committee, Cornelius. If you ask Sirius he'll most probably many more names apart from Lucius' as one of the many Death Eaters still around."

"He was formally acquitted, Albus. What could we have done? He claimed to have followed You Know Who under the Imperius."

"You could have asked the court for the use of Veritaserum, Cornelius. But you've taken too much of his money by now. For this you'll need to step down."

Fudge had the decency to blush, but he remained silent, of course. He knew that Dumbledore could have him thrown out of his office, if he really set out to do it.

The Minister called the Auror on night duty and told her to send a few of her colleagues. Not ten minutes later a contingent of five Aurors came through the fire. The Aurors were astonished about the prisoner they had to take to Azkaban. Dumbledore warned them to do everything to keep the prisoner under a stunning spell until he was going on trial.

The Deputy Headmistress took her two charges and first passed at the hospital wing, where Poppy almost collapsed of shock seeing Sirius in her company.

"It wasn't Sirius after all, Poppy, he's been proven innocent of all charges. Could you first take care of Weasley and then see if Sirius needs anything?"

"I'd say he needs a bath first of all..." Poppy said, sniffing the air with a disdainful grimace.

"It's not like there are showers in the Forbidden Forest, Poppy!" Sirius protested. "And I intend to spend the next few hours in the tub, thank you very much!"

Poppy smiled. She knew very well that Sirius had always taken great care of his personal hygiene and must have suffered badly having no access to washing facilities for so many years. She turned to Ron:

"What's happened to you then, Weasley?"

"Big black dog! Broke my leg and there are these scratches here on my wrist!"

"Oh dear! Let's start giving you a potion to prevent possible rabies! Your leg has been well splintered, that will be fixed in a few seconds."

"Pardon me! I may be filthy, but I do not have rabies, Madam Pomfrey!" Sirius said.

"He said Black dog, not Sirius Black, Sirius!"

Instead of an answer Sirius transformed and gave Minerva the shock of her life. She screamed:

"Sirius Black! When did you become an Animagus? You can't have done that in Azkaban!"

"Nope. Finished the transformation in fifth year - we wanted to help Remus, Minnie. He wouldn't hurt us while being Animals ourselves. We were bitten in play loads of times, but being animals it didn't curse us!"

"Potter and Pettigrew, too?" Minerva whispered.

"James was a stag and Pettigrew was a rat. You have probably seen him loads in the past years - he hid as the Weasleys' pet rat and Ron has carried him around for three years already."

"Merlin, if I'd only have had an idea..."

"No one knew that he was still alive, Minerva, no one but myself and himself. I couldn't and he certainly didn't advertise it."

Poppy sighed and treated Ron's wounds. Then she came back to Sirius and checked him over.

"Too thin and teeth of the worst, otherwise I'd say there's nothing wrong with you, Sirius. I shall fix your teeth now, okay?"

"Yes, please, Poppy!"

She performed the cleaning and repairing spells for his teeth and then said:

"There we are. Do you want some nutrition potions to support your food in the next few weeks? It would help you regain your weight in a more healthy fashion than if you just stuff yourself with all sorts of things."

"Maybe for a week or so?"

"That'll prevent the worst damage. Here you go! You need a full glass before every meal. Eat as wholesome as you can. Have Remus watch over the regime!"

Sirius pouted in a way it made Ron laugh. He guessed that Poppy must have known Sirius quite well to hand his regime over to his best friend. That made him falter. Remus was a werewolf. Apart from him no one in the Shack had thought it necessary to recoil from the man, not even the Minister, but he knew that werewolves were not to be trusted, his mum and most everyone had told him so.

Minerva grinned when she took Sirius not to a guest room but to Remus' quarters. She called a house-elf and asked him to assist Sirius in all his needs. Sirius' eyes lit up when he recognised the room's interior as typical Remus in style. Being in the staff area would be very useful for...

"Remember, Black - any pranks..." Minerva said.

"How unfair is that, Minnie, you present me with the honey pots and won't allow me to lick some of it?" he pouted.

"Nope! You know the rules."

When she left her charge, Minerva thought: 'revenge is sweet!'


End file.
